Reminisce
by LuigiWife1551
Summary: Chimchar looks back at all he's been through and what his future will eventually become. One Shot. Edited.


**Hello all! This time, its time for my first Pokemo fanfiction! Yay!**

 **So before we begin, a few things. I am not a huge avid fan of the show, but I love the movies and I do have my share of favorite Pokemon and series. I'm more of the older generation Pokemon series lover, but I love Pokemon from all generations. Chimchar, whom this fanfiction is based on, is the cutest Fire Pokemon in my opinion! Next to Charmander, of course. He's also so determined and he really does fit with Ash perfectly.**

 **Any questions, ask away! Any advice would also be greatly appreciated.**

 **Please enjoy! I own nothing but this story.**

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 **Reminisce**

 _Chimchar mused on something one warm morning as he watched his friends training and practicing._

 _He realized that he liked being with Ash and his friends. Compared to how things began, he loved where he was and yet, he couldn't shake the sadness that he sometimes felt as he stared at his Pokemon friends, watching himself intermingling with them. It was so hard to believe this was all happening..._

 _Chimchar liked that. He loved what his life had become and what he could become as he trained alongside Ash. But it came at a price._

 _Having been attacked by a pack of wild Zangooose gave Chimchar trauma beyond belief. He was mortified at the simple mention of seeing a Zangoose, and had battle scars on his chest to show for it. It was the single most terrifying moment of his life, and every time for a long while afterwards, he shivered in fear thinking of them._

 _As soon as Paul took him under his care, it grew worse. While under Paul's direction, he would often hear nothing except cold words and orders to 'tap into the same power he displayed before'. Chimchar didn't know what that meant but it was never good. He was trying his best but... it was never good enough._

 _Chimchar often recalled barely ever sleeping or eating, being attacked, jumped and beaten to the point where he could barely stand, and realizing no matter how hard he worked, he never received praise for what he could do and was instead insulted for what he couldn't._

 _He was scared to death of Zangoose, yes, but he was more scared that one day, his trainer would go too far to hurt him or make him into something Chimchar didn't know he even had in him._

 _When Paul abandoned him, Chimchar was ready to quit on a lot of things... until Ash came along._

 _Chimchar felt the sudden change and he admitted... it was a lot to take in. He was treated like a friend, like a brother in arms, and for him... it was too much. So he cried like a big baby in Ash's arms._

 _He wouldn't regret it either. Chimchar liked how warm Ash's skin felt compared to his, how gentle he was with him. It was strange hugging him so tight just to sob his heart out, but he liked being able to express... happiness. Feelings and emotions, things Chimchar could finally set free. He liked that feeling._

 _"Chimchar..." Ash was... understanding. He finally realized why Chimchar was sobbing so heavily and didn't have to make him feel useless or worthless or anything... he felt... free._

 _He liked when Ash held him, too. When he spoke to him, when he had those little pinics and he could train and laugh and just enjoy life. Like he was actually worth saving. Ash cared about him but wanted to grow stronger too._

 _Chimchar agreed. He noticed the change each and every day, with each passing battle. Even when he had to see his ex trainer, he didn't feel as scared as he once was._

 _Someone finally supported him. Chimchar felt that._

 _He enjoyed training, working with Ash, pushing himself to his limits because it always paid off. Even when it was hard to keep going or when Ash wanted him to stop, Chimchar felt he had to. Probably because of Paul's insight instilled in him, but he felt he owed Ash his life. He had to make Ash proud!_

 _Ash worried about him. Chimchar felt that. And he was sad because Ash didn't need to. But Ash understood and allowed him to train until Chimchar felt he wanted to stop. Chimchar liked that feeling, too... determined._

 _He was happy to finally have someone with patience._

 _For awhile, he was still scared but happy with life, and he continued to let Ash and his friends help him heal from his shattered past. That is, until he saw the pack of Zangoose from before attacking his new found family._

 _Chimchar will admit it. He was terrified. He didn't want to relive the horror he faced with near death. It was still too fresh in his head._

 _But he was encouraged. He wasn't screamed at or hit. He was ENCOURAGED. Every single one of his friends believed he could overcome his paranoia and become strong... and that was exactly what he did._

 _That fear briefly came back when Ask shielded him from an oncoming Zangoose attack. He was scared for him; why would he do something like that?_

 _Ash was fine, he told himself. He had a few scratches but he was smiling and thanking him. Chimchar loved it; he was finally able to conquer his fear, save his Trainer and save his friends._

 _Ash congratulated him. So did Piplup. And his whole family. Even Chimchar congratulated himself. He had finally found his place at last, and he never wanted to lose that feeling._

 _But he didn't realize he never quite let go of the anger and fear he felt with Paul. Not until a random battle one day..._

 _Ash didn't want him to battle. Not yet, anyway. He wasn't ready. But he felt he HAD to. He had to prove to Paul he never deserved to be treated like he had, but he was still scared of him too._

 _That sick, uneasy feeling he felt when he saw Paul's face once again became too much to hold in. Or was it because he didn't want to lose to Ursaring again?_

 _Chimchar didn't realize it then, but he sure as hell did now._

 _He felt pure rage for some reason. Nothing but hatred, anger, pent up anger at the world! At Ash!_

 _He didn't remember a single thing after that. He felt nothing and recalled nothing... except Ash's screaming..._

 _Chimchar didn't realize until it was too late... Ash had saved him yet again. That was why he was screaming...? Was he going to be sent away again?_

 _He risked hurting himself just to calm Chimchar down and Chimchar was terrified. It was HIS power that scared Ash for once..._

 _He didn't want to get into trouble. Ash had never sounded like that before... He was scary and he had the right to toss him away, but he couldn't take another painful rejection._

 _But Ash scooping him up, amazed at the raw power he had, and wanting to help Chimchar control and learn to use it right... keeping him close... it finally broke through._

 _Ash loved and cared for him. He truly wanted to help him and make him a part of the family... and Chimchar swore he would do everything he could to make them both proud. He was scared of Paul, and maybe he always would. But he would get stronger. He would make Paul pay for what he had done._

 _Besides, he liked resting against Ash. He liked being hugged and being told he was doing well._

 _He liked the feel of his Trainer whenever he hugged him, he decided. He was warm and soft to lay on._

 _When he saved Pikachu from a Poison Jab, Chimchar had made up his mind._

 _He didn't want Ash to be upset. He didn't deserve it. Not after saving his life and allowing him a second chance._

 _Chimchar returned the warmth Ash had filled him with. It was only right. He didn't care what happened to him in that moment, and he made sure Ash understood that._

 _He didn't care if he lost his life... because Ash had shown him that it was alright to be afraid. To cry. To laugh. To smile. Pikachu was his best friend and he would be broken if he was hurt. Chimchar didn't want to see that._

 _"Chimchar..."_ _Ash felt it. Chimchar had a feeling Ash felt what he was saying and why he smiled at him like a small child. Ash felt that understanding the little Fire Pokemon had begun to learn himself._

 _He liked that feeling, too. He was changing in ways he never thought would happen._

 _He hummed in thought as he thought back to that bit of advice that strange Meowth had given him. That he had friends who would 'give him the shirts of their back' if he needed them._

 _Chimchar trusted them to do that. And he would protect them with every bit of breath in his tiny body, too._

 _Ash called him over to ask if he wanted a quick practice battle before it got late. Happily hopping in Ash's arms, Chimchar rested his head against his chest and lay there in quiet peace for a moment._

 _"Chimchar, you okay?" He could hear him but he didn't want to move yet._

 _Chimchar liked the sound of a human heart._ _It didn't feel any different than his; they felt exactly the same. But he came to realize, he had_ _never heard a human heartbeat before._

 _"Chimchar... you must be exhausted. We can practice tomorrow, okay?" A barely audible 'Chim... char...' was all Ash heard in reply. He chuckled as he headed to place Chimchar down on a laid out blanket._

 _He could hear his friends talking in low tones above him before he let himself drift to sleep._

 _The Chimp Pokemon reflected on his life as he slept._

 _He had to agree, it was painful, it was terrifying, and it was to the point he wanted to give up and die._

 _Ash saved him from pain he never wanted to feel again. He liked life now, just as it was._ _Chimchar liked being part of a family. He liked experiencing new adventures, growing stronger each day, seeing his friends smiling and laughing, and being able to sleep peacefully knowing he had something new to wake up to the next day._

 _Chimchar knew he struggled his whole life. Now, he can enjoy it and see what his future has in store._

 _Chimchar liked that idea. As did Ash. Smiling at the sleeping Pokemon, he knew Chimchar was a Pokemon with potential to become someone great, and had the biggest, kindest heart one would ever see._

 _"Watch and see, Chimchar. Things are finally looking up for you, and I promise. We'll get stronger together." He stroked his head, smiling as Chimchar snuggled closer._

 _"I promise we will."_

 ** _END_**

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 **And complete! Its not much, just a small one shot. I think I'll do a mutichapter in this fandom but please let me know what you think for now.**

 **Until next time!**


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